Josh Hamilton suffers addiction relapse

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Texas Rangers‘ outfielder Josh Hamilton, the 2010 American League MVP
who has battled alcohol and drug addictions for over a decade, has
suffered a relapse. According to ESPN, the baseball player drank alcohol at Sherlock’s Pub and Grill in Dallas on Monday (Jan. 30).

Teammate Ian Kinsler was at the bar with Hamilton and apparently convinced him to leave. Hamilton reported the incident to the Rangers himself. This has happened before. In 2009, Hamilton was caught on camera drinking in a bar in Arizona, which he claimed was his first drink since going sober in 2005.

His teammates have been trying to help. After the 2009 incident, he was granted an “accountability partner.” Johnny Narron stayed with him throughout the season and his teammates stopped drinking in front of him, even keeping him from the smell of alcohol, according to ABC News. The 2011 American League
champion team’s postseason celebrations opted out of the traditional
champagne showers and chose ginger ale and water instead.

ESPN says that the Texas Rangers are working to get Hamilton
recovery-related support. The incident reportedly involved alcohol and not drugs.